Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-12-10
CANCER.
Some Facts About Disease Which is At
tracing Much Attention at Present.
Copyrighted, 1851

ANNFS''b'''S~t ~N~'''
It seems to be admitted now by all the
surgeons who have been consulted in the case
of the Crown Prince of Prussia that the
hero of Sadowa, Weissenburg and Worth is
suffering from cancer of the larnyx, disease
for which there is small chance of cure by
operation. In this country cancer has at
tracted widespread attention during the last
few years on account of the number of
prominent men who have fallen victims to
it. The late Senator Hill, of Georgia, Ex-
President Grant, John Roach, the great
naval contractor, and several others of note
in the political and social world have died OF
this painful malady.
Cancer is prominently disease of the
white race, and apparently of representa-
tives of an advanced degree of civilization.
1t is rare in the colored races. Among the
negroes in the South before emancipation, it
was extremely infrequent. Some practition-
ers of large experience had never seen a case
in the negro before the late war. During
the last ten years, however, quite a number
have been observed. 1t is three times as fire.
quent in women as in men. 1t lis disease of
advanced life, over two-thirds of the cases
occurring after the fortieth year 1t is her
editary in about one-fourth of the cases. 1t
often occurs however as consequence OF
injury or protracted inflammation in cases
where no hereditary influence of the sort ex-
lists.
Any organ or part of the body may be
attacked by cancer. 1t is most frequent i'll the
female breast, uterus, the stomach, liver, lips
and tongue, but is also found in the brain
and spinal cords, in bones, and, in rare cases,
even in the heart. Cancer is undoubtedly
becoming more frequent. In England the
rate of increase of deaths of cancer per mil
lion of inhabitants was sixty-four per cent.
from 1861 to 1884. During the ten years end
ing 1879 the total number of deaths from
cancer in England and Wales was Ill 800,
an average of over 1000 per year. The
ratio of increase in this country
seems to be even greater than abroad.
The high pressure under which peo-
pie live at present seems to have some
thing to do with this increase. The statis-
tics of the last census show that cancer is
much more prevalent in the Northern and
Eastern States than in the South and West.
Surgeons are beginning to attribute to de-
pressed conditions of the nervous system
large share in the causation of cancer. In
the cases of General Grant and Mr.. Roach,
the outbreak of the disease seemed to follow
closely upon the business troubles which
came upon them in the latter years of their
lives.
Smoking is popularity credited with the
production of cancer of the lips and tongue,
and there seems good reason to accept this
as a cause. Women, who are so frequently
subject to cancer, rarely suffer with the dis
ease as it affects the lips and tongue, which,
considering the freedom and recklessness
with which the sex uses the latter organ, is
somewhat remarkable. 1t is said that in
some parts of Brittany, where women smoke
pipes and cigarettes, they suffer from cancer
of the lips as often as the men.
Cancer of the larynx or windpipe is one
OF the rarer forms of the malady. However,
during twenty years. from 1866 to 1886, the
larynx has been extirpated for cancer about
seventy-five times. 1t has been done three
or four times during the present year in this
country. About two-thirds of the cases sue
cumb to the operation, while of those who
recover large proportion eventually die
from recurrence of the disease. Sothat even
If "Unser Fritz should submit to the opera
ton and recover, the malady would probably
claim him as victim in the end
Cancer-curers are found everywhere vaunt-
ing special caustics, warranted to remove the
cancer with certainty and without danger.
Most OF these cauStiCs contain large pro-
portion of arsenic, and ifno used with great
care may cause grave symptoms OF poison
ing. In several cases death has resulted
from absorption of the poison. All of these
applications are more or less painful and
much slower in action than the judicious use
of the knife, hot iron, electric cautery or cleo
trolysis.
Accompanying policy is bad one to adopt
in dealing with cancer. 1t should either be
treated energetically, or be let alone. In
spite of the bad results following operations
upon the larynx or stomach, the prospects of
permanent cure when other organs are at
tackled are much more favorable Recent
statistics of cancer of the breast show that
about one case in ten is perma, emily cured
by operation. Even when it recurs it is apt
to be milder and less painful, and life is at all
events prolonged. The most favorable re-
suits are shown by operations upon the lip,
of which over one-half remain well after
thorough extirpation.
The fact that cancer is at first a local dis
ease, and durable by operation, if taken in
time, is becoming more generally known,
and people no longer look upon it with the
dread which it formerly inspired. The
earlier the aid of the surgeon is sought, the
more favorable the prospect of thorough
removal of the growth, and of permanent
cure. No medicine is known which will ar
rest the disease.
GEORGE H. RoHE, NJ. D.
NICETIES OF PRONUNCIATION.